The Essay
by ng59678
Summary: A homework assignment that Mattie writes - pretty self explanatory R&R - a little more.
1. A Class Assignment

The Essay

_Disclaimers: Does not belong to me, never will, or else I would be rich living in a house like Manderley._

No spoilers in general, may tie into my other stories currently in progress, AU- Mattie will always live with Harm in my head. Takes place during the universe of other fic _Handling It_, so the baby Mackenzie belongs to me

_Mattie's School  
__EST 1300 Hours_

Mattie stared out of the window. It was such gorgeous spring day outside. Her thoughts though were not of the birds and the clouds, it was with her father, Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. who was currently stationed on the Patrick Henry, and was listed MIA.

"Mathilda Johnson, did you listen to a word I said. Get your head back here." The dragon lady was being relentless today, maybe her head would explode.

"Its Mathilda Rabb. And I would appreciate it if you would call me that from now on." Mattie got up and stormed out of the room. She knew the dragon lady would be calling Mac, so she just waited in the principal's office.

The principal came out and gave Mattie a concerned look. "Come on in Mattie, Mrs. Jameson said that you would be coming this way. Another outburst?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me kiddo," her principal said sympathetically.

"She called me Mathilda Johnson. She doesn't exists anymore."

"What do you mean, you are standing right here."

"Mathilda Johnson was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Johnson. Since my mother is dead, and my real father, even though he still loves me, doesn't quite fit into the traditional father mode," Mattie started rambling on.

"Mattie, get back on track."

"Sorry, my father, Commander Rabb, was in the process of adopting me when he was shot down. He has been listed as MIA presumed KIA."

Mac walked into the office and gave her surrogate daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Will you please inform Mrs. Jameson that I am here for the parent/teacher conference?"

"No need." Mrs. Jameson walked into the room. "Who are you? I was expecting to see Jennifer again, its not like that guardian of hers ever shows up for these things."

Mattie got up and started yelling. "Shut up bitch. You know nothing about my life!"

Mac felt the anger start rising into her body. She put a hand on Mattie's shoulder. "Honey, go take Mackenzie out on the playground. I'm sure you can swing her in one of the baby swings."

"Yes Mac." Mattie reluctantly left the room.

Mac turned to her teacher. "Now to answer your questions. Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, USMC. I understand that Mattie had an outburst in class, what did you do to bring it on?"

"Well, I never!"

"No, you have never put an interest in her life." Mac started back at her. "You called her Mathilda Johnson again, didn't you. I wrote you a letter explaining circumstances, and you just totally disregard my daughter's feelings! If you ever call her guardian, the man she thinks of as a father worthless again, I will sue you for slander. For your information, Mattie's guardian was shot down in the Middle East a couple of days ago. Mattie got her change of name forms filled out the day it happened."

The principal listened to the escalating conversation. "Is this true?"

"Mattie legally had her last name changed, it is even in the school rooster. I brought the papers myself, and had a letter drafted to her teachers."

"Well, just because she had her last name changed does not excuse her from listening in class and causing a ruckus. As for her so-called father, I hope he is alright, but he knew this could happen when he wanted her for a ward."

The principal cut in again. "Mrs. Jameson, I think it would be best if you left the school for a while. Ms. Mackenzie, I am switching Mattie to the advanced English class. I called the teacher when I heard about this confrontation from other students. I took the liberty of getting her assignments."

"Thank you for all of your help Dr. Porter."

"Mattie is someone special, isn't she?"

"You have no clue. Now if you will excuse me, I will go collect my children."

1600 EST  
Harm and Mac's house

"Mattie, this new English teacher said that all you would have to turn in your paper on 'What is a Hero.' It should be easy enough for you."

"Thanks Mac."

Mattie trudged up the flight of stairs. She was just grateful that Mac, even though she understood the outburst, didn't flip out and ground her for weeks. She got put on phone restriction until the she finished her homework. She sat down at her desk and booted up her laptop and began to write.

_Fictional Lives Turned Reality_

_Mathilda Grace Rabb_

_September 13, 2004_

_When I was a child, there were so many different superheroes. They ranged from animals to human, from white to black, female to male. The point was is that they did something so extraordinary it sent them apart from the rest of society, all they wanted to do was to change the world. _

_Well, the world changed for all of us on September 11, 2001. The mighty towers fell, and the Pentagon was hit, and life began to unravel for everyone. But in the midst of the tragedy, heroes arose. Policemen, firemen, and everyone who worked those tragedies are classified as heroes, and everyone in the military can be lumped underneath that category. The man I believe to be the embodiment of heroism though is my father, Harmon Rabb, or DA! as my little sister screams._

_In order to understand where I am going with this, you have to understand one thing, my dad is the typical hero. He leads one life during the day, and another life at night. Except for my father fights for truth, justice, and American way during the day, and at night, he corrects my algebra homework. _

_Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. United States Navy. I love watching my father run out of the house every morning with ribbons adorning his chest. I get stories about my dad from Mac. She has told me that my father saved her life in everyway that counts. She even told me about my father's war medals, three DFC's are included in the plethora of ribbons that adorns his uniform._

_I could go one and talk about the stories behind these medals, but you could look it up for yourself on the internet. What I believe makes my father a hero is the fact that he did save the world, and that is not because he adverted a nuclear disaster. He saved mine. He gave me everything I thought I never wanted. He saved my life and made me into the woman I am today. I miss you dad, come home soon._


	2. Another day at school

The Essay Part Two

AN-Ties into the my other WIP – Handling It, basics, Mackenzie is Harm and Mac's daughter, Sergei and Jen are helping Mac out. Other than that you really don't have to ready the whole epic that I is became so consuming this is a break. Read and review if you like, if not I understand.

1800 EST

Same day, same place

Mattie walked downstairs and found Mac trying to teach Mackenzie new words.

"Mac?" Mattie addressed her while standing in the doorway.

"Yes darling?"

"I'm sorry you had to take more time off today to come down to the school. I promised Dad I would behave, and I broke my promise."

"Come here and sit next to me." Mac instructed as she put Mackenzie on her play mat. "Look at me Mathilda Grace. You did not break your promise to your father. I think that Harm would be very proud of you today. Now did you finish your homework?"

"Yes."

"Do you need me to check over anything?"

"Mac, it might make you upset. I miss him."

"Honey I miss him too."

"Do you think he is still alive?"

"Never give up hope. I haven't. I know in my heart that your father will come home to us. I can't explain it, I just know. Now, about your new English class, the principal was telling me it was an advanced English class."

"Yeah. Which means I have to do a lot more work, and do the summer reading and the project so I can get credit."

"What is the summer reading?"

"Some book called _Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam_ and the project is I have to interview a veteran and report on his story."

"I am going to talk to your teacher. I believe Dr. Porter gave me her home number. I have an idea that will really open your class's eyes up."

Ring . . . Ring . . .

"Hello," a voice came from the other end of the line.

"Hi. My name is Sarah Mackenzie. I am Mattie Rabb's stepmother." Mac said over the phone. She didn't mean to lie about her relationship to Mattie. For all intensive purposes it was true.

"Mattie is the new student in my class. Let me introduce myself. I am Mrs. Chavez. What can I do for you Ms. Mackenzie?"

"Mattie was telling me about her project and the book she has to read to make up for the summer project. I was wondering when those had to be done by. Also, I am in the military, and with the approach of Veteran's Day I was wondering if you would be interested in having the children hear some of the war stories first hand by the men who lived them. I haven't talked to the men yet, but many of them I know would be grateful to share their experiences."

"That would be delightful. Just tell Mattie the days and I will be delightful to set aside the class side. It is the last period of the day, so I will write to the parents and tell them that I can arrange for carpooling if necessary."

"Thank you."

"No Ms. Mackenzie thank you. How is Mattie's essay coming along?"

"I don't know she won't let me read it."

"Well, I am grading the other essays now. When she is done, will you have her email it to me. I won't count any mistakes against her since it is her first draft. Also, the book reading will be due for her in a month, the interview is due in six weeks."

"I will ma'am. Thank you for your time."

"Good bye Ms. Mackenzie."

Mac hung up the phone and called AJ Chegwidden and set up a time for him to come out to the house and be interviewed by Mattie. He seemed pleased by the project and said he would be willing to go into the class.

Mac walked upstairs to find Mattie fiddling around with her JROTC uniform. "Mac, I can get the pleats right and I have inspection tomorrow!"

"Bring me the uniform, I will help you out. Also, your Uncle AJ is coming for you to interview him for the project."

"I haven't seen Uncle AJ in awhile. It will be nice to see him. Do you think he will be okay talking about Vietnam, I know it is something that he doesn't like to talk about."

"He wouldn't' have agreed if it was not okay."

Mattie handed Mac her uniform pants and Mac expertly pressed the pleats in her pants. "Do you need me to hem them up, are your shoes shined? Oh, before I forget, your teacher wants you to email her the draft."

"I think everything else is done Mac. And I will email her the draft."

"Thank you Mattie get some sleep."

"Yes ma'am. If you see Dad in your dreams tonight, tell him I love him."

"I will honey."

Mattie spent the rest of the night straightening up her room and writing in her diary her Dad gave her right before he left for the carrier.

_1300 EST_

_Mattie's School_

_Right before English class_

Mattie walked into her new English class and sat next to her friend Melinda who was in the class too.

"Mattie, did you find a veteran?"

"Yeah. Admiral Chegwidden, Dad and Mac's old boss was willing to be interviewed."

"An Admiral?! That is so cool. How did your inspection go today?" Melinda asked realizing that Mattie was in her uniform.

"It went great, Major Daves said that I was accelerating well."

The teacher walked in and Mattie immediately became quiet. The teacher lectured on iambic pentameter and the use of it in Shakespearean English when the principal buzzed in.

"Mrs. Chavez, I need you to send Mathilda Rabb to the office."

"Right away." She wrote Mattie a hall pass and the rest of the class snickered, Melinda looked at Mattie with a said smiled and whispered a prayer for her.

Mattie walked into the office and saw Mac sitting in her office. 'Oh no, something must have gone wrong.' Major Daves just walked into the office the same time Mac walked out of the office, seeing that Mattie was also in uniform, Mattie and Major Daves came to attention. It took Mac a little bit to realize what happened. "At ease. Sorry Mattie, I didn't mean to scare you. The principal called while I was on my lunch break." She turned to the major. "Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie."

"Major Daves, her JROTC instructor."

"Her stepmother."

"Now I know why Mattie is always in such good order and discipline. Nothing like being raised by a marine colonel."

"I can't take credit for that. It was all her father, Commander Rabb."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. I heard about the Commander."

"Thank you." Mac turned to her daughter. "Mattie, the principal would like to see you for a few moments."

"Yes Mom." Mac gave Mattie a squeeze and the Major escorted Mac out to the car. "You aren't the same Colonel Mackenzie that was involved in the prison uprising several months ago."

"That I am."

"Ma'am, it is an honor to meet you."

Mac hopped into Harm's Lexus and waved goodbye to the Major leaving her daughter to deal with the principal.

_Inside the principal's office_

"Mattie, we need your signature to submit your essay for a contest."

"That's it?"

"Well, yes. Did you think you did something wrong?"

"No. I just wasn't expecting it."

"Well there is one more stipulation, you need to write a little more to the essay, do you think you can?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Mattie, good luck."

"Thank you ma'am."

"Get back to class now."

"Yes ma'am."

Mattie walked out of the classroom. Her principal had never seen a more well behaved child.

_1630 EST_

_Harm and Mac's house_

Mattie burst through the door after volleyball practice. Jen had been so nice and supportive during Harm's absence by helping out.

"Jen, I need your help."

"Yes Mats?"

"Can you drive me to the Wall so I can do my homework, I need inspiration."

"What is your homework?"

"I need to expand the essay on dad."

"Okay, let's leave Mac and Sergei a note, and I will drive you out there."

"Thanks Jen."

Mattie ran upstairs to get her laptop and Jen wrote the note and left it on the counter saying that she would take care of Mattie's dinner also.

_1730 EST_

_The Vietnam Memorial_

_Washington, DC_

Mattie walked among the masses of names. "Jen, who are going to remember these soldiers when their families are gone? What use are names on a wall without their stories? Who will remember Dad, or is he going to become part of the masses remembered by a memorial." Mattie asked finally letting her frustration show about her father being MIA.

Jen hugged Mattie fiercely. "Your dad will never become part of the masses of heroes."

"Jen is right Mattie." Mac said coming from behind. Sergei and Mackenzie were in tow. "We thought a picnic in the mall would be nice. When you are finished with your visit, come and find us."

Mattie found the name she had been searching for and reached out and touched the name of her grandfather and stood in the spot where Mac had made it possible for Harm to take her. She sat down in the spot and started typing.

**(AN-This is the same essay as before, just a little extended)**

_Picking out a Hero Among the Masses_

_I really didn't know where to start when I was given the assignment to write and essay of on the topic of heroes. When I was younger, I used to think that a hero was embodied as Superman who could fly, Spiderman who could climb walls, or Batman who could fly high in his plane. But then I realized as I walked among the masses of the names of men who have given up their lives for this country, I realize it is not super strength that makes you a hero, it is the ability to fight for what is right._

_Up until September 10, 2001, the entire nation slept safe and secure. We all went around doing our boring routines, living boring lives, and not really bothering to stop and realize all that we had._

_Well, the world changed for all of us on September 11, 2001. The mighty towers fell, and the Pentagon was hit, and life began to unravel for everyone. But in the midst of the tragedy, heroes arose. Policemen, firemen, and everyone who worked those tragedies are classified as heroes, and everyone in the military can be lumped underneath that category. The man I believe to be the embodiment of heroism though is my father, Harmon Rabb, or DA! as my little sister screams._

_In order to understand where I am going with this, you have to understand one thing, my dad is the typical hero. He leads one life during the day, and another life at night. Except for my father fights for truth, justice, and American way during the day, and at night, he corrects my algebra homework. _

_Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. United States Navy. I love watching my father run out of the house every morning with ribbons adorning his chest. I get stories about my dad from Mac. She has told me that my father saved her life in everyway that counts. She even told me about my father's war medals, three DFC's are included in the plethora of ribbons that adorns his uniform._

_I could go one and talk about the stories behind these medals, but you could look it up for yourself on the internet. What I believe makes my father a hero is the fact that he did save the world, and that is not because he adverted a nuclear disaster. He saved mine. He gave me everything I thought I never wanted. He showed me it was okay to be young again and it was okay for me to lean on him. In a world in which I thought I wasn't wanted, he wanted me. No strings attached, all bad habits included. He saved my life and made me into the woman I am today. I miss you dad, come home soon._


	3. The Untold Stories

**The Essay Part Three**

Mattie paced around their living room, and Mac just looked at her teenager and smiled while feeding Mackenzie her oatmeal. "Mom, Uncle AJ is late!"

"Honey he isn't late, he still has ten minutes. Will you stop fidgeting, it isn't like you haven't been around AJ before."

"It is different this time, I can't explain it. I am asking him to reach into his past and talk about probably some of the most painful experiences of his life."

"Mattie, if AJ felt like he couldn't deal with talking about it, then I am sure that he would have never agreed to helping you out with this project. Now come here and let me take a look at you."

Mattie walked to where her adoptive mother was feeding her little sister. "You look very nice."

"Do you know why Uncle AJ wanted me to dress up?"

"Oh, honey, I don't know." Just then there was a knock on the door. Mac stood up and answered it. "Hi AJ. Thank you so much for doing this for Mattie."

"Not a problem Mac. I will have Mattie home before 2300."

"Okay." She heard Mackenzie start babbling in the kitchen and Sergei was egging her on.

"Mattie, AJ is here, you better get a move on young lady." Mattie came from the kitchen with a her laptop and a tap recorder.

"I'll see you in a little bit. Behavior for Uncle AJ or else."

"I know Mom, I know." Mattie walked out and hopped into AJ's SUV with Damnit in the backseat. "Uncle AJ, where are we going?"

"We are going out to eat." He said smiling at her.

AJ drove down the busy streets of DC and pulled up to a place that was very familiar to Mattie, the memorial. She watched him walk up to a panel and put his hand on a familiar name, much like her father always did when he was visiting her grandfather. Mattie left him for a moment and found the familiar panel and put traced over her grandfather's name.

"Hi Grandpa." She said quietly. "I know I am not your real granddaughter, but Dad always told me it wasn't blood that makes a family, it's love. He swears that you would love me, and that me and you would have gotten along great.

You know Gramps, Dad is missing, and I know that you want him to be with you again, but honestly I hope that isn't the case. I don't know what I would do without Dad. Mom says though that you are looking out for him, and thank you for that."

AJ came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. "You know, you found that panel real quick, have you come here often."

"Don't tell Mom, but after NJROTC practice, sometimes instead of going straight home, I come here and talk to Gramps. It makes me feel closer to Dad." She said with a small smile.

AJ pulled a picnic basked out of the car and they walked Damnit around the wall before leashing him to a tree. That sat down and started idling chatting. Finally AJ looked at her, "Didn't you need to talk to me about what happened to all those men on that wall over there?"

"I didn't know how to bring up the worst years of your life."

AJ smiled at her. "You just hit the heart of it Mattie, those were the worst years of my life. Sometimes though it helps to talk about the things that we saw over there, the napalm burning off the skin of a man right next to you, finding the bodies of women and children who were murdered by the Viet Cong, it is all memories that many of us keep buried deep inside."

"How do you deal?"

"Sometimes we don't. But, if we don't talk about those times, then it is doomed to happen again. What do you need to know young lady?"

"When did you join, or how did you feel about this war."

"I joined the United States Navy in 1968. When Richard Nixon was talking about what you could do for your country, I thought, hey I could do that." AJ smiled at his naïve younger self. "I went off to boot camp in March, and by December I was part of an elite group called the SEALs. We were sent on the missions that no one wanted to take, and believe me Mattie, nobody wanted to take those missions." AJ sighed off into the sunset, twirling a weed in his hand.

"Were you ever scared?"

"All the damn time. I wrote letters home constantly telling my mother what I wanted to happen just incase. I think your dad actually wrote one for each of you." AJ stated. At his question, Mattie nodded her head.

"I haven't read it yet." Mattie answered. "I won't read it until I know his fate."

"You are stubborn like your father." AJ said to her. "Go ahead, ask me anything."

"I rather you just tell me about life over there, what was it like, did anything good happen, did you make any friends, what do you regret?"

AJ looked at the younger girl and smiled at her. "Life over there wasn't like anything I have experienced before. There was monsoon season, and it seemed like that it was the only time I was in the damn country. You couldn't tell friend from enemy. Matts, it was a dirty war."

The sun started setting more, and she saw someone standing at the panel that held her grandfather's name. "Al, over here."

An Asian man looked over and waived. He came walking up with a woman who was holding a child. "Admiral, it is very good to see you. Who is your friend?"

"This is Mattie Rabb. She is doing a project on Vietnam. I asked you here because I was wondering if I could tell Ms. Rabb our story, it is definitely on the lighter side."

"It would be my honor to help out with this project. Admiral, let me introduce you to my son, William Chegwidden Wen."

"You named him after me? Why did you do that?"

"You saved my life and my mother's life. For that, I owe you." He answered him. "Ms. Rabb, I am sorry, let me introduce myself, Albert Chegwidden Wen. The Admiral save my mother's life. Sir, I have to go now. I need to get Will inside."

"It is good to see you again Al. I will call you again next week."

"I look forward to it Admiral."

Mattie watched the small family walk away interlocking hands. "Uncle AJ, who was that?"

"Probably one of the small miracles that came out of that damn country. This is going to be your article." AJ sighed and the stars started coming out. He took off his jacket and handed it to Mattie. She flipped on her recorder. By the time that AJ got finished telling her his story, she sat there awestruck.

"I never knew."

"No one ever did honey. That is why it is so important that these stories get told. Now I better get you home before your marine mom sends a unit out to find us." He packed up their picnic dinner and they head to the car.

_0600 EST  
__King George, VA_

"Mattie are you dressed for the presentations today?" Mac called from downstairs.

"Yeah, NJROTC has to wear our uniforms. Are you going to be there today?"

"Yep. The JAG crew was given off by Admiral Jonas, so we were able to attend. Uncle Bud is going to be there, Uncle AJ, Chaplain Turner, Admiral Boone. You are going to know a lot of brass on the stage Matts. Are you nervous?"

"Yes." Mattie said coming down the hall wearing her uniform. Mac started pulling Mattie's hair back into a tight bun. "Why do I have to be there an hour early?"

"Because your instructors thought it would be a good idea, and it is your job," Mac said simply."

"Are you ready to go sweetie?" Mac asked picking up Mackenzie carrier.

"Yes ma'am."

Mac loaded her family into the Lexus.

_0800 EST  
__Mattie's school_

Mac sat in the section that was reserved for the military personal coming to the event. She held Mackenzie in her lap and saw the rest of the JAG family walking up.

"Do you think Mattie is ready for this ma'am?" Jen piped up.

"She should be ready, she was practicing all night in her room." Sergei said.

The students began filing in and took their seats in the auditorium. Dr. Porter took the stage and addressed the students. "Good morning!" She addressed into the microphone.

The students weren't paying attention to her. She cleared her throat, "I said good morning," she stated with a little bit more authority. The students all replied good morning is staggered unison. "We have a special presentation today. I expect everyone up here to listen to what these men and women have to tell you, many of them have experienced so much more than you will experience. More importantly, many of them could kill you if they wanted to," she said joking with them. Many of the students laughed at that. "I expect best behavior, or you will have to deal with me afterward. I want you all to stand for the presentation of the colors, the pledge of allegiance, and the national anthem." The color guard came out and put up the flags and the ceremony began.

"Now, I want to introduce your award winning drill team, and your peers: Cadet Rabb, Cadet Moore, Cadet Willis, Cadet Chen, and Cadet Jackson."

Mattie and her team came out with her instructor giving them the drill calls. At the end of their routine, Mattie stepped forward and quickly spun the rifle, threw it in the air, and caught it with ease behind her back. Mac smiled at her daughter. It took Mac several attempts to teach her that trick.

The principal came back out on stage and stood behind the podium. "Ladies and gentlemen, your drill team." She applauded and so did the auditorium. "I want to introduce you to someone. This young lady has walked our halls for but only a short time, but she has quickly become part of our family, she conducts herself with pride and dignity, and most of you know her as the girl who can do neat tricks with the rifles, put your hands together for the master of ceremonies, Mathilda Rabb."

Mattie stepped back out on the stage and waved to her mom. Mac smiled and waved back.

She stepped up to the podium. "Ladies and gentlemen, teachers, esteemed faculty and staff, members of the armed forces, I want to take this moment to thank each and everyone of you. You help shape our minds and you challenge us in ways we didn't even think was possible." She stepped back and applauded them, and caught sight of Mackenzie applauding also.

"As many of you know, this assembly is being held for us to honor our Veterans, but lets not forget the men and women serving our country right now, and lets take a minute of silent to ask the higher powers to protect them." Mattie stepped back and went into parade rest for a moment, and then continued on.

"A few months ago, I was told that I had to write an essay on what a hero is. Now, I really don't know what qualifies a hero to everyone out there, but I knew exactly who I was going to write about, which leads me up to being up here in front of you guys. I wrote my paper on the common guy, my father, who is part of the military. These men are our heroes who protect us, and I have no greater pleasure than introducing them today."

The men filed out on stage. AJ and Tom gave her a quick wink and Bud smiled at her. "Starting from left to right, there is retired Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden, Admiral Thomas Boone, Lieutenant Commander Bud Roberts, Chaplain Turner, Commander Jack Keeter, and Major Netterville. These men are here to tell their stories about what happened to them overseas, and to answer any questions you may have at the end. First up, we have Un – Lieutenant Commander Bud Roberts." Mattie stepped away from the podium and Bud smiled at her.

"When your principle, Dr. Porter, called to ask if I could come and talk, I didn't think I would be able to. I wouldn't know what to say to a bunch of high schoolers, imagine a lawyer with nothing to say." Bud said, eliciting chuckles from the JAG crew. "But thinking over it, I realized there is one thing I could teach you guys, it is perseverance.

"I was assigned to work as a JAG – Judge Advocate General – on the USS Seahawk. It was supposed to be a fairly safe assignment, but you never know when life is going to throw you into the wrong direction. While in Afghanistan, I was sent on a goodwill mission, and while trying to save a child from a landmine, I lost my leg." Bud came out from behind the podium and showed the audience his titanium leg. A couple of the kids gasped at it.

"I came here because I thought that life was over, but then with a good swift kick in the pants, some friends showed me that I had a life. The physical therapy that I endured for months was torture, and there were times that I thought that I would give up. But I didn't. I earned the right to continue serving this country that I love, and I persevered over some great odds." Bud looked at Mattie and gave her a hug. "Thanks Matts, I needed to teach these kids something." He whispered to her.

"No problem Uncle Bud." She went back up to the podium and started to speak. "Thank you Commander Roberts. The next man is someone who keeps you on your toes, Commander Jack Keeter."

Jack walked up to the podium, "Hey Mattie, do you think your mom will go on a date with me?"

Mac stood up from her place, "Not if your life depended on it Jack." The audience started laughing. From out of nowhere a kid yelled, "Hey Mattie, your mom is hot!"

Jack laughed. "Okay boys and girls, I am Commander Jack Keeter. I fly F-14s for a living. I have the need for speed. I am currently stationed on the USS Seahawk where I do recon missions over Afghanistan searching for Bin Laden. But the story I am going to tell you is probably nothing like Commander Roberts' story.

"I was captured by Iranian officials one day. I was flying a stealth, and there were some problems. I was able to land the stealth, but I kept it in stealth mode. Mattie's parents, Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie came in and saved my hide! The message I am going to preach to you guys is teamwork. You have to be a team, and depend on other people, or else, there is nothing left. Mattie's dad ended up flying the train back to the carrier, and the secrets of our technology was saved by none other than the three stooges." Keeter laughed and so did he admirals. "I owe my life to those guys. Remember, teamwork."

Keeter high fived Mattie and sat back down. Mattie walked back up to the podium, "The next man I would like to introduce you to is Chaplain Turner." The small man walked slowly up to the podium.

"As most of you can figure, I am a pastor. My job was to preach to the men and women over in Vietnam. I brought them messages of peace when there was none to be found. This is the message I want to bring to you. We are fighting to bring the world to peace, you guy are the next generation, and peace may be able to begin with you. I am going to tell you one story though.

"I was on my way to a little village in Cambodia. Out of nowhere, Charlie began to advance on the small convoy that was with me. I said a prayer and we drove through. There was a spray of bullets everywhere. When we finally got to the village, no one in the convoy was hurt. It was like the hand of God was protecting us. If you could have seen the jeeps, it looked like swiss cheese. I count it as a miracle. Remember young ones, peace begins with you."

Mattie helped him back to his seat and he gave her a grateful squeeze. She walked confidently back to the podium. "Admiral Thomas Boone is perhaps one of the most stubborn men I know, and trust me, I know a lot of stubborn people. Try living with one parent in the Navy and the other one in the Marines!" Mattie said smiling. That caused a chuckle out of everyone. "On a more serious note though, Admiral Boone is one of the most loyal people I know, so let us put our hands together for him."

Mattie stepped aside and he took his place at the podium. "Thank you Mattie for that very nice introduction. Much like Commander Keeter, I owe Mattie's father my life, he landed our disabled aircraft on the deck of a carrier in the middle of the night.

Now to most people, that would be no big deal. He was trained in it. But what was different with Commander Rabb was that he was diagnosed with night blindness, I was unconscious and wouldn't survive a punch out, and he hadn't flow in five years. But that man refused to let me die. I guess if everyone else is going to teach you younguns a lesson, so will I. The lesson today from me is courage.

"It was the middle of the war, 1969. I was flying missions off the Ticonderoga with a very talented pilot, Lt. Harm Rabb Sr. He was Hammer to his friends, and bunch of other younger pilots. During that summer we were flying recon missions over Cambodia providing cover to our ground troops when they needed it, and gathering intelligence.

"On one mission we flew, we took heavy ground fire. I was the first one to get hit, Alpha was the second one to get hit, and Hammer, refusing to leave us was the third to get hit. We decided that we didn't have enough fuel to make it back to the carrier, so we put our planes in the direction were we saw the gunfire and ejected.

"Hammer ended up getting tangled in the trees and had to play dead. The Viet Cong bought it and continued to march towards our ground troops. When they had advanced forward a little, Hammer motioned for the six of us on the ground to start taking them out. The six of us were able to take out 20 enemy soldiers.

"Hammer ended up cutting himself out of the tree, and we made our way to the ground troops were we were evacuated back to the Ticonderoga. Turns out that we took out about 50 enemy soldiers that were advancing on our ground troops To this day, I still haven't figured out if it was dumb luck or if it was a higher power that helped us out that day, but there is one thing I do know, we showed courage in the line of fire and refused to back down.

"You kids nowadays have to use common sense and courage more than ever. Have the common sense to pick and choose your battles, and have the courage to fight for what you believe in. Thank you for inviting me here today. Hopefully I have been able to inspire you all today." Admiral Boone did a quick double take at Mattie and whispered to her. "You know kiddo, your grandfather would have loved you."

"Thanks Admiral." She said to him. Mattie smiled at him, and took her place at the podium. "The next speaker is like an uncle to me, well most of these men are. Admiral AJ Chegwidden is the retired Judge Advocate General and a good friend of my family. He is a Navy SEAL and could scare the dickens into anyone. Admiral Chegwidden?"

AJ came to the podium. "Thank you Cadet Rabb. Just like everyone up here on stage, I know her father. I was honored by Mattie when she asked me to tell her about my experiences in Vietnam. It let me know that we haven't forgotten that war that has taken place almost 30 years ago. Tom, I owe you my life. I was one of those men on the ground in Cambodia. I remember looking up and seeing your plane fly over into the trees and then seeing you guys eject. Thank you, I always wondered who those men were.

"I am here to tell you guys about hope. Even in war, you can find hope. I was helping evacuate some refugees when I came across a very pregnant, scared 17 year old. I was ushering her through the fields to get her to the helo. Suddenly her water broke. I didn't know what to do, but she was in so much pain, she couldn't continue moving. In that dirty field, I helped deliver a bouncing baby boy.

"I never knew what happened to the mother and child. We got on the helo, and all I could do was sit there and hold the baby. That little baby gave me hope in a time where it was scarce. All we ever saw was death. We were trained to kill the gooks, but looking at her face, I realized that we were all human. That little baby helped me through the rest of the war, and I never even got to say thank you.

"In the summer of 1980, I received a call from Kim Wen. She had emigrated to the states and only knew my name. She had named her son after me and that is how she was able to remember my name. We kept in touch over the years.

"War is never good, and not much good comes of war. The once beautiful country side was torn to pieces, and Kim lost her home. But she once told me that we gave her hope, the fact that we were helping them fight their war, she knew that we were the good guys.

"Keep the hope alive that one day we will be at peace. Thank you boys and girls." AJ sat down and Mac sat stunned. She never realized that side of AJ. Mattie gave her thanks again, and the presenters answered any questions that the student had.

Mac looked down at her girls and realized the reason why her fiancé was overseas, to ensure a brighter future for the next generation. That is what the heroes of today do, they practice valor quietly and do their jobs accordingly. She mused to herself, "Imagine what the world could be if we all practiced faith, hope, courage, perseverance, and teamwork." She looked at the real life heroes on stage and led the charge in the standing ovation

**Here is a nod to all the heroes of the world. Thank you for everything.**


End file.
